Article of repose for supporting the body of a person



Dec. 22, 1953 I A. LORENZ 6 v ARTICLE OF REFUSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed Sept. 29, 1949 v 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. ANTON LORENZ ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1953 L R 2,663,356

ARTICLEOF' REEOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed Sept. 29, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

' ANTON LORENZ ATTOFINEVY Dec. 22, 1953 A. LORENZ 2,663,356

ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed Sept. 29, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

ANTON LORENZ ATTORNE Patented Dec. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE ()F REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON 18 Glaims. 1

This invention relates to articles of furniture, and more particularly to reclining articles or rurn'it'ure, wherein the seat and back-rest may be moved through the medium of a link-system from a. sitting position into a reclined position and "vice versa.

An object of the present invention is to provide a reclining article of furniture of above described type wherein during a displacement of the connected back-rest and seat from one position to another one the back 'rest is moved through a greater angle than the seat, so that,

if, for example, the back-rest and seat are moved from the sitting position into a reclined position the angle between said back-rest and said seat is increased.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bed with a bed-bottom, the sections of which are adjustable relative to each other and may be readily brought from one position into another by a person resting on the bed.

A further object of the present invention is to improve on the art of reclining articles of furniture as now ordinarily m'a'de.

Other objects and "structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this spectfication, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sid'e-elevational view of a reclining chair according to the invention, a portion of a side of the support being broken away,

Fig. .2 is a side elevatienal view-of a chaise lon'gue according to "the invention, ajportion of a side :of the supporting i'rame being broken away,

Fig. 3 is a side-elevation'al "View of a different embodiment f a chaise tongue according to the invention, a portion of a side or "the 'supporting frame being :broken away, 7

Fig. 4 is a top plane view or a bed according to the invention,

his. '5 is a side-elevatidnal lvliew of the bed shown in Fig. 4 some parts beingshow-n in section, and v Fig. 6 is a side-'elevational view of the bed-similar to that shown in Fig. 5, wherein, however, the sections of the articulatedbed-bottom are in an angular position relative to each other.

Referring now to .Fig. 1, 2-9 generally indicates a support-comprising'side'trames 22 and Mrigidly connected with each other :by cross-bar's 26 and 28.

The lower end of back-supporting :inember or back-rest 30 is swinga'bly mounted on a suppert ,2 29 at 32. The rear end portion of a rockable seat 34 is swingably mounted on said support 20 at 36. The pivotal connection 36 between the seat 34 and the support 20 is spaced from the pivotal connection 32 between the back-rest 3E! and the support 20.

An extension 38 rigidly connected with the seat 34 projects back ardly beyond the pivotal connection 36 between the seat 3 and the support 2!) and beyond the pivotal connection 32 between the back-rest 3c and the support 29.

One'each side of the chair a connecting link 4!] is pivotally connected with the extension 38 of the seat 34 at 42 and with the back-rest 3!] at M. An arm-.restt't is rigid with said connecting link 46.

As will be readily understood, the portion of the back-rest 311 between the pivots 32 and M, the connecting link 4i] and the extension 38 of the seat 34 constitute the movable links of a foursided link system, while the portion of the support 20 between the pivots 32 and 36 constitutes the stationary link of said four-sided link system.

The cross-bar 28 between the side frames 22 and-24 of the support 2-9 acts as a stop for limiting the sitting position of the seat 3'4 and the movable members of the chair connected therewith, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1.. When the backrest 3 3 is swung about its pivot 32 into the extreme reclined position, shown in dash and dot lines in 'Fig. 1,, the seat 3 connected with said back-rest =38 in the manner described above is swung about its pivot 3 .5 into the reclined position shown in dash and dot lines. a displacement of the back-rest and seat from the sitting position into the reclined position the angle between the seat and the back-rest is increased. The extreme reclined position of the movable members :of the chair, as shown in dash and dot lines, is limited by an abutment of the extension 38 against a-stop e8 :adjus'tablymounteti in a slot .50 .of the support 2B. The stop 48 may be held .in its adjusted position "by means of a screw (not shown).

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 again the =back-rest .138 and seat I84 are pivoted to thesitpportingframe 128 of the chaise lon'gue length 9f the flatter.

During such An arm-rest M6- is rigid with the connecting link its pivoted to the back-rest at I44.

A ieg-supporting member or leg-rest I54 arranged at an angle to the seat I34 is rigid with the latter.

A cross-bar E56 connecting the side frames I22 and H24 of the support I20 with each other is arranged in a gap between the rear end portion of the seat [3 5 and the back-rest [36.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chaise longue, shown in full lines, is limited by a cross-bar 28 arranged for abutting engagement with the seat ltd, the extrem reclined position of the movable members of the chair, shown in dash and dot lines, is limited by an abutment of the back-rest against a stop it carried by the support I26.

According to the embodiment of a chaise longue shown in Fig. 3 the back-rest 23%} is pivoted to the support 2263 at 232 and the rear end portion of the seat 235; is pivoted to said support 22% at 236, which is a point spaced from the pivotal connection 232 between the back-rest and the support. Again the rearward extension 238 of the seat 234 is provided with a series of bores 252. The pivot 26?. connecting the lower end of the connecting link with the extension 233 may be inserted into one or the other of said set of bores 252. The upper end of the connecting link 2 38 is pivotally connected with the back-rest 23s at 244.

Each arm-=rest 266 is rigid with the back-rest 23s by screws 258.

The leg-rest 2% is swingably connected with the front end portion of the seat 234 at 25K). The movements of the leg-rest 254 are controlled by a controlling mechanism which, in the embodimerit shown in Fig. 3, is in the shape of a controlling link 262. One end of said controlling link 262 is pivoted to the leg-rest 254 at 254, the other end of said controlling link 252 is pivoted to the support 226 at 266.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chaise longue, shown in full lines, is limited by a cross-bar 223 of the support 220 arranged for abutting engagement with the seat 234. The extreme reclined position of the movable members of the chaise longue, shown in dash and dot lines, is limited by a stop 2&8 arranged on the support 226 for abutting engagement with the back-rest 236. During the movement of the connected back-rest 23d and seat 23d from the sitting position into the reclined position, the legrest 2% is brought into the dash and dot line position through the medium of the controlling link 262.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 4-6 the support 32d of the bed consists of the headend the foot-end 316i and the pair of longitudinal rails 372 rigidly connected with each other in any suitable manner.

The back-supporting member or head-section 330 of the bed bottom is swingably mounted at 332 on lugs 3% carried by the longitudinal rails 312 of the support 320. The end of the rockable seat-portion 334, adjacent to said head-section 33s is swingably mounted on said lugs 3'14 at 336 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 332 between said head-section 330 and said lugs 316. The leg-supporting member or foot-section 354 of the articulated bed bottom is pivotally connected with the rockable seat-portion 334 at 360.

On each side of the bed one end of the controlling link is pivoted to a lug 376 of the footsection 356 at 3%, the other end. of said control- 4i ling link 362 is pivoted at its to a lug 378 carried by a longitudinal rail 3'52 of the support 32%.

On each side of the bed an extension 338 is rigid with the rockable seat-portion 335.. Said extension projects beyond the pivotal connection 335 between the roclrable seat -portion 33d and the support 32d and beyond the pivotal connection 332 between the head-section 335i and the support 320. Said extension 338 is provided with a series of recesses or notches On each side of the bed one end of a connecting link 346 is pivoted to the head-section 335 at 34 1. The other ends of said connecting links 34s are connected with each other by a trans verse rod 352. Said transverse rod 332 may be selectively engaged with one or the other notch of the series of notches 3539 of said extensions 338 for pivotal engagement. Therefore the connec tion between said transverse rod 38?. and said notches 389 is disengageable so that the headsection 330, the seat-section 33 i and the foot" section 354 may be brought into alignment with each other as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Then the transverse rod 3E2 rests on a bracket 36 i rigidly connected with the support 32d, the lugs 38% of the head-section 3% are carried by the longitudinal rails (iii, the seat-section 33d rests on the lugs 318 and the lugs 386 of the foot-section are carried by the longitudinal rails H2.

When the members of the bed are in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a person may rest on a perfectly flat surface.

If a person Wishes to rest on the bed in a reclined position with the legs elev-- ted, for example, at first the head-section is brought into the substantially vertical position wherein the transverse rod 382 may be engaged with the first notch of the series of notches of the extensions 338. During the movement of the head-section see from the horizontal position into said substantially vertical position the transverse rod 382 may slide along the bracket 3%. After the engagement of the transverse rod 382 with said notches 333 or the extension 338 the head=section 336 may be swung from the position 33% shown in Fig. 5 into the reclined position shown in 6, whereby the rockable seat-portion $34 of the seat-section brought from the horizontal position shown in Fig. 5 into the reclined position shown in Fig. 6 and the foot-section moved upwardly in planes parallel to each other from the position shown in Fig. 5 into the position shown in Fig. 6. Of course, during above described movement, the stationary portion 3M of the seat-section, rigid with the support 329, remains in its position.

If a different relative position between the head-section and the seat-section is desired in the reclined position, the transverse rod of the connecting links 3% may be engaged with another notch of the series of notches 389, for example by moving the head-section 3st from the full-line position shown in Fig. 5 merely into the somewhat reclined position shown in said Fig. 5. On the other hand, of course, the head-section 33% may be used in said position see" as a support for the back or a person who wishes to sit up in the bed without having the legs in an elevated position.

It is understood that the aligned position of the sections 3%, 33d and 355 of the bed bottom may be readily re-established by disengagement of the pivotal connections 35%, 382 between the connecting links 3% and the extensions 33%.

Although not shown in the drawings, it is understood, that every embodiment of a reclining article of furniture may be equipped with a lock ing device by means of which the movable mem-- bers of the article may be held in any desired position.

I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is understood, that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various omissions or changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substi tution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without de parting from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is: r

1. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising; a support, aseat-section, said :sea't sec-tion including a rockable seat-pen tion pivoted at its rear end to said support, an extension rigid with said rockable seat-portion, said extension projecting baokwardl'y beyond the pivotal connection between said rockable seatportion and said support, a back-supporting member swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, and a connecting link pivoted atone of its end portions to said back-supporting member and at its other end portion to said extension of said rockable seat-portion.

2. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising: a support, a seat-section, said seat-section including a rockable seat-portion pivoted at its rear end to said support, a back supporting member swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, an extension rigid with said rockable seat-portion, said extension projecting backwardly beyond the pivotal connection between said back-supporting member and said support, and a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said baclrssupporting member s and at its other end portion to said extension or" said rockable seat-portion.

3. An article of repose for supporting the body of" a person comprising: a support, a seat, the rear end portion of said seat being in pivotal connection with said support,- an extension rigid with said seat, said extension projecting back- Wardly beyond the pivotal connection between said seat and said support, a back-rest swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said seat and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said back-rest and at its other end portion to said extension of said seat-and an arm-rest rigidly connectedwith said connecting link.

a An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising: a support, a seat, the rear end portion of said seat being in pivotal connection with said support, an extension rigid with said seat, said extension projecting backs wardly beyond the pivotal connection between said seat and said support, a back-rest swingably mounted on said support at a oint spaced from said pivotal connection between said seat and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said back-rest and at its other end portion to said extension of said seat, and an arm rest rigidly connected with said back rest.

5'. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising: a support, a seat-sec tion, "said seat-section including a rockable seat-' portion pivoted at its rear end to said support, an extension rigid with said rockable seat por= tion, said extension projecting backwardly beyondthe pivotal connection between said roclc= able seat-portion and said support, a back-supporting member swingably mounted on said sup port at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said rockable seat portion and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said back-supporting member and at its other end portion to said extension of said rockable seat-portion, and a leg support ing member connected with the front end of said rockable seat-portion.

6. ,An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising: a support, a seat, the rear end portion of said seat being in pivotal connection with said support, an extension rigid with said seat, said ext nsion projecting back- Wardly beyond the pivotal connection between said. seat and said support, a back rest swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said seat and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said back-rest and at its other end portion to said extension or said seat,

- and a leg-rest rigidly connected with the front end portion of said seat.

7. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising: a support, a seat-section, said seat-section including a rockable seatportion pivoted at its rear end to said support, an extension rigid with said rockableise'at por tion, said extension projecting backwardly beyond the pivotal connection between said rockable seat p'ortion and said support, a back-supporting memberswingably mounted on said sup port at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said back-supporting member and at its other end portion to said extension of said rockable s'eat portio'n, a leg supporting member pivotally connected with the front end portion of said rockable seat-portion, and a controlling mechanism operatively connected with a member of said article and said leg-supporting member for controlling the movements of the latter.

8. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising: a support, a seat-section, said seat section including" a rockable seat-' portion pivoted at its rear end to said support, an extension rigid with said rockable seat-portion, said extension projecting backwardly beyond the pivotal connection between said rookable seat-portion and said supp rt, a back-supporting member swlngably mounted on said support at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said back-supporting member and at its other end portion to said extension or said rookable seat -portion, a leg supporting member pivotally connected with front end portion or said rockable se'atportion, and a controlling link, one end of said controlling link being pivoted to said support, the other end of saidcontrolling link being pivoted to said legan extension rigid with said rockable seat-portion, said extension projecting backwardly beyond the pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, a back supporting member swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said back-supporting member and at its other end portion to said extension of said rockable seat-portion, and mean whereby the effective length of said extension may be varied.

10. An article of repose for supporting th body of a person comprising: a support, a seat-section, said seat-section including a rockable seat portion pivoted at its rear end to said support, an extension ri id with said rockable seat-portion, said extension projecting backwardly beyond the pivotal connection between said rockable scat-portion and said support, a back-supporting memb r swingably mounted on said support at a point from said pivotal oonnection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, and a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said bac -simporting member and at its other end portnn to said extension of said rockable seat-portion, the pivotal connection between. said connecting link and said extension being disengageable.

11. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising: a support, a seat-section, said seat-section including a rockable seatportion pivoted at its rear end to said support, an extension rigid with said rockable seat-portion, said extension projecting backwardly beyond the pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, a back-supporting member swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said rockable seatportion and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said back-supporting member and at its other end portion to said extension of said rockable seat-portion, and limiting means arranged on said support for abuttin cooperation with said extension so as to limit an extreme position thereof.

12, An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising: a support, a seat-section, said seat-section including a rookable seatportion pivoted at its rear end to said support, an extension rigid with said rockable seatportion, said e. ,nsion projecting backwardly beyond the pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, a back-supporting member swin ably mounted on said support at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said, back-supporting member and at its other end portion to said extension of said rockable seat-portion, and a stop adjustably arranged on said support for abutting cooperation with said extension so as to limit an extreme position thereof.

13. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person corn rising: a support, a seat, the rear end portion of said seat being in pivotal connection with said support, an extension rigid with said seat, said extension projecting backwardly beyond the pivotal connection between said seat and said support, a back-rest swingably mounted on support at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said seat and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said back-rest and at its other end portion to said extension of said seat, a leg-rest rigidly connected with the front end portion of said seat, and an arm-rest rigidly connected with said connecting link.

14. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising: a support, a seat, the rear end portion of said seat being in pivotal connection with said support, an extension rigid with said seat, said extension projecting backwardly beyond the pivotal connection between said seat and said support, a back-rest swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from said pivotal connection between said seat and said support, a connecting link pivoted at one of its end portions to said back-rest and at its other end portion to said extension of said seat, a leg-rest pivotally connected with the front end portion of said seat, a controlling link, one end of said controlling link being pivoted to said support, the other end of said controlling link being pivoted to said leg-rest, and an arm-rest rigidly connected with said back-rest.

15. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person, comprising: a support including longitudinal rails, a back-supporting member pivoted to said support, a seat-section including a stationary seat-portion and a rockabl seat-portion, said stationary seat-portion being rigid with said support, said rockable seat-portion being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-supporting member and the support, a leg-supporting member, said leg-supporting member being connected with said rockable seat-portion, an extension rigid with said rockable seat-portion, said extension projecting beyond the pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, and a connecting link, one end of said connecting link being in pivotal connection with said back-supporting member, the other end of said connecting link being in pivotal connection with said extension, and the pivotal connection between said connecting link and said extension being dis-engageabl whereby said back-supporting member, said seat-section and said legsupporting member may be brought substatnially in alignment with each other so as to form a bed-bottom resting on said longitudinal rails.

16. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person, comprising: a support including 1011- gitudinal rails, a back-supporting member pivoted to said support, a seat-section. including a stationary seat-portion and a rockable seat-portion, said stationary seat-portion being rigid with support, said rockable seat-portion being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-supporting member and the support, a leg-supporting morn: her, said leg-supporting member being connected with said rockable seat-portion, an ex ension rigid with said rockable seat-portion, said extension projecting beyond the pivotal connection between said rockable seat-porti0n and said support, a connecting link, one end of said connecting linl being in pivotal connection with said back-supporting member, the other end of said connecting 9 other so as to form a bed-bottom resting on said longitudinal rails, and means for selectively engaging said connecting link with different points of said extension.

17. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person, comprising: a support including longitudinal rails, a back-supporting member pivoted to said support, a seat-section including a stationary seat-portion and a rockable seat-portion, said stationary seat-portion being rigid with said support, said rockable seat-portion being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-supporting member and the support, a leg-supporting member, said leg-supporting member being swingably connected with said rockable seat-portion, an extension rigid with said rockable seatportion, said extension projecting beyond the pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, a connecting link, one end of said connecting link being in pivotal connection with said back-supporting member, the other end of said connecting link being in pivotal connection with said extension, the pivotal connection between said connecting link and said extension being disengageable whereby said back-supporting member, said seat-section and said leg-supporting member may be brought substantially in alignment with each other so as to form a bed-bottom resting on said longitudinal rails, and a controlling link, one end of said controlling link being pivoted to said support, the other end of said controlling link being pivoted to said leg-supporting member.

18. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person, comprising: a support including 1ongitudinal rails, a back-supporting member pivoted to said support, a seat-section including a stationary seat-portion and a rockable seat-por- 19 tion, said stationary seat-portion being rigid with said support, said rockable seat-portion being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the backsupporting member and the support, a legsupporting member, said leg-supporting member being swingably connected with said rockable seat-portion, an extension rigid With said rockable seat-portion, said extension projecting beyond the pivotal connection between said rockable seat-portion and said support, a connecting link, one end of said connecting link being in pivotal connection with said back-supporting member, the other end of said connecting link being in pivotal connection with said extension, the pivotal connection between said connecting link and said extension being disengageable whereby said back-supporting member, said seatsection and said leg-supporting member may be brought substantially in alignment with each other so as to form a bed-bottom resting on said longitudinal rails, means for selectively engaging said connecting link with difierent points of said extension, and a controlling link, one end of said controlling link being pivoted to said support, the other end of said controlling link being pivoted to said leg-supporting member.

ANTON LORENZ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 238,799 Morgan Mar. 15, 1881 363,751 Longfellow May 24, 1887 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,536 Great Britain 1882 118,926 Switzerland Apr. 16, 1927 

